Helpful – You’ll take-away practical advice that will help you get better at what you do.

We rate each piece of content on a scale of 1–10 with regard to these two core criteria. Our rating helps you sort the titles on your reading list from adequate (5) to brilliant (10). Books we rate below 5 won’t be summarized. Here's what the ratings mean:

5 –Solid. A helpful and/or enlightening book, inspite of its obvious shortcomings. For instance, it may be offer decent advice in some areas but be repetitive or unremarkable in others.
6 – Notable. A helpful and/or enlightening book that stands out by at least one aspect, e.g. is particularly well structured.
7 – Good. A helpful and/or enlightening book that combines two or more noteworthy strengths, e.g. contains uncommonly novel ideas and presents them in an engaging manner.
8 – Very good. A helpful and/or enlightening book that has a substantial number of outstanding qualities without excelling across the board, e.g. presents the latest findings in a topical field and is written by a renowned expert but lacks a bit in style.
9 – Superb. A helpful and/or enlightening book that is extremely well rounded, has many strengths and no shortcomings worth mentioning.
10 – Brilliant. A helpful and/or enlightening book that, in addition to meeting the highest standards in all pertinent aspects, stands out even among the best. Often an instant classic and must-read for everyone.
While the rating tells you how good a book is according to our two core criteria, it says nothing about its particular defining features. Therefore, we use a set of 20 qualities to characterize each book by its strengths:

Applicable – You’ll get advice that can be directly applied in the workplace or in everyday situations.Analytical – You’ll understand the inner workings of the subject matter.Background – You’ll get contextual knowledge as a frame for informed action or analysis.Bold – You’ll find arguments that may break with predominant views.Comprehensive – You’ll find every aspect of the subject matter covered.Concrete Examples – You’ll get practical advice illustrated with examples of real-world applications or anecdotes.Eloquent – You’ll enjoy a masterfully written or presented text.Engaging – You’ll read or watch this all the way through the end.Eye opening – You’ll be offered highly surprising insights.For beginners – You’ll find this to be a good primer if you’re a learner with little or no prior experience/knowledge.For experts – You’ll get the higher-level knowledge/instructions you need as an expert.Hot Topic – You’ll find yourself in the middle of a highly debated issue.Innovative – You can expect some truly fresh ideas and insights on brand-new products or trends.Insider’s take – You’ll have the privilege of learning from someone who knows her or his topic inside-out.Inspiring – You’ll want to put into practice what you’ve read immediately.Overview – You’ll get a broad treatment of the subject matter, mentioning all its major aspects.Scientific – You’ll get facts and figures grounded in scientific research.Visionary – You’ll get a glimpse of the future and what it might mean for you.Well structured – You’ll find this to be particularly well organized to support its reception or application.

*getAbstract is summarizing much more than books. We look at every kind of content that may matter to our audience: books, but also articles, reports, videos and podcasts. What we say here about books applies to all formats we cover.

Qualities

Applicable

Well Structured

Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Best-selling authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton deconstruct the motivation of employees across the generations to help managers keep multigenerational teams performing smoothly. The former workforce of vertical banks of long-time employees must now become fluid, cross-functional teams. The authors discuss how different generations work and which management styles motivate them. This fast-moving, entertaining guide offers real-world case studies and surprising research into generational differences and parallels. The authors also offer 101 ideas for inspiring a multigenerational workforce.

About the Authors

Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton co-founded The Culture Works, a global training firm. They are the bestselling co-authors of All In, The Carrot Principle, The Orange Revolution and What Motivates Me.

Summary

Astronaut Chris Hadfield created a smooth functioning, cross-generational team aboard the International Space Station by emphasizing kindness.

Managing diverse teams may be difficult on Earth, but it’s nothing compared with doing so in outer space. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield commanded the International Space Station for five months. His team included Americans and Russians encompassing a 25-year age gap, along with profound cultural and linguistic differences. In spite of those differences, Hadfield’s team members suffered no heated arguments during the five months they lived and worked together in space.

Prior to blastoff, Hadfield spent time with the crew members individually and as a group. To understand his Russian astronauts, Hadfield moved to Russia, learned the language and lived in state housing. He also lived in the United States. He made sure his team members knew each other’s families and understood their backgrounds. Hadfield had them role-play how they would handle certain situations, such as the death of a family member, that might happen ...